Car-step register.



IN VE N 701% ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 10, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. W. 65 L. R. BALGH.

GAR STEP REGISTER.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 20, 1910.

WITNESSES. H. J M MW 5 R. W. & L. R. BALGH.

GAR STEP REGISTER.

APILIOATION FILED AUG. 20, 1910.

Patentedflct. 10,1911.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS R. W. & L. R. BALOH.

UAR STEP REGISTER.

APPLICATION IILED AUG. 20, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 10, 1911.

BELLA wa m Baton Am LEUND mm aims, or. ssxp svxtm. wr eema QmsrEREGISTER- a Application filed August 20, 1910. Serial In. 578,104;

To all whom if m com-em:

- Be it knownt at we, BELLA W. BALoH and LELAND RBALCH, both citizens ofthe United States, and residents of Neillsville, in the county of Clarkand. State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Gar- StepRegister, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.'

Our invention relates to car step registers of the kind used moreparticularly for counting the number of passengers or other personspassing along a given path.

Our invention comprehends more particularly an electric system includingcounting mechanism for registering the number of persons passing in eachof two directions, yet maintaining the registry of those assing in onedirectionseparate from those passing in the opposite direction over thesame route, this result being accomplished by aid of the same mechanism.

More particularly stated, our invention comprehends a number of stepsprovided with depressible platforms, these platforms being too narrow toaccommodate more than one person at a time, and electric indicatingmechanism connected with-the various platforms and controllable bymovements of the same for the purpose of counting or indicating thepersons depressing the platforms with their feet as the persons movealong.

Our invention further comprehends arranging the mechanism just mentionedso that when a person depresses one ortwo of the platforms and thenretraces his steps, no indication will be recorded. If, however, theperson depresses a predetermined larger number of steps, his passagewill be registered and if he then 'retraces his steps another indicationwill be made signifying his return.

Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the ar-' row; Fig. 3 is a section onthe line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4 isan elevation of the switch anot or electric is teh forming a part-o ourapparatus; Fig: 6, is a view. of. the same switch, being a section the66 of Flg. 5, looking in the dire tion of shown in 2 and e; rs as adetail .ShOWlIl the arrow; and Fig. 7 is an elevation of the switch,shown in Figs 5 and 6.

A stairway 8 comprises terraces 9, 10, 11, 12, and over these aredisposed depressible platforms 13, 14,15, 16, hereinafter referred to assteps. Each step is provided with guide pins 17 rigidly connected withit and extending throughholes in the terraces .be-

low the platform. Spiral springs 18 'en- L ne 1 circle the guide p and.are, ompressed whenever a passenger steps upon the platform. v I

.At 19, 29 are electric switches made substantially alike and used forcontrolling the distribution otelectric currents; as hereinafterdescribed, for actuating the counting mechanism. At 21, 2 are two otherelectric switches used also for controlling the distribution of variouscurrents associated with the counting mechanism. The switch19 isprovided with a collar '23 having a lug 24: integral therewith andextending upwardly therefrom, this collar being mounted rigidly upon arocking shaft 25. Acontact arm 26 -(see Figs. 5 and 6) is mountedrigidly upon a sleeve 26, the latter being secured to a carriage arm 27,this carriage arm being of motion relatively to the contact arm 26.

At 29 is a contact button which is conprovided with. upturned lugs '27disposed I nected with a binding post 30. At 31 is another contactbutton similarly connected with a binding post 32.

At 33;, 34 are arcuate guide membersv of insulating material 'upon whichthe contact buttons 29, 31 are secured.

A spiral spring 35 presses constantly upon the contact arm 26. Thearcuate menibers 33, 34 (see Fig. 5) are provided with shoulders 36, 3738 39 which serves as lim iting stops for the contact arm 26. y

Mounted ri 'dly upon the step 13 and extending downwardly therefrom is arod 13 which at its lower end is suitably connected with a bell crank40, this bell crank being journaledupon apivot pin 41 and connected witha shifting rod 42, this shiftv with the rod 57. A

gages an anti-friction roller 60,

ing rod being bent into a general conformity somewhat analogous to thatof the stairway 10 and rests upon rollers 43, 44, 45, 46. The shifting.rod 42 is so arranged that when the step 13 is depressed, so as to rock'the bell crank 40, the shifting rod as a whole is moved slightly to theeft according to Fig. '1. Another shifting rod 47 rests upon a roller 47and :is pivoted to the lower end of a bell crank 48. This bell crank ispivotally connected with a rod 49 which is connected with the step 15and like the rod 13 extends vertically through the stairway. Connectedwith the step 16 and extending downwardly therefrom through a hole inthe stairway is a long rod 50'which' at its lower end is pivotallyconnected with the bell crank 51, the latter being journaled upon a pin52. A shiftin rod 53 is pivotally -connected with the Tower portion ofthe bell crank 51 andrests. upon rollers 54.

One end of the shifting rod 53 is adjacent tothe lug 24 and by pressingthis lug to the right ma cause the collar 23, and consequently thecontact arm 26 (see Fig. 5) to rock to the right. A shifting rod 55, by

ressure against the opposite side of the ug 24, may ,cause this lug'andparts conand is also pivotally connected with a pawl 62, the latterresting *upon an antifriction engages the contact 'arm and pressesconroller 63. The pawl 62 engages a ratchet wheel 64 forming part of theelectric switch .22 and used for actuating the latter.

' The ratchet wheel 64 is mounted rigidly upon a revoluble sleeve 65(see Figs. 2, 3), this sleeve encircling a center pin 66 extendingentirely through the switch 22 and its ratchet wheel 64. Mounted uponthe sleeve 65 is a contact arm 67. A splral spring 68 stantly againstit. A carriage arm 67 is disposed parallel with the contact arm 67 andis provided with upturned lugs 69, the

latter being located upon opposite sides of the. contact arm.

At 70 are rollers for promoting a limited i're'edom of movement asbetween the contact arm 67 and the carriage arm 67.

A ring 71 of insulating material is studded with stationary contactmembers 72 of arcuate form, these contact members being metallicallyconnected together and separated at the surface from each other, asindic'ated in Fig. 2. The ring 71' is provided withdepressi'ons 73disposed intermediate the contact points 72, as will be understood fromFig. 3. The arrangement of the parts is such that whenever the ratchetwheel 64 is turned step by step in a contraclockwise direction accordingto Figs 2 and 4, the contact arm 67 moves step y step from one of the deressions 73 to the next depression 73, and in so doing momentarilyengages and disengages one of the contact members 72. Each successivemovement of the con tact arm 67, therefore, brings it momentarily intoengagement at its opposite ends with two of the contact members 72, 72,and then immediately breaks the said engagement so as to leave the endsof the contact arm insulated from the adjacent contactv members.

At 74, 75 are binding posts which are respectively in communication withthe contact members 72*, 72, as will be understood from Fig. 2. 4

The switch 21 (see Fig. 2) is of the same construction as the switch 22and therefore need not be described indetail. It is actuated by aid ofthe pawl 59 and is provided with two binding posts 76, 771

At 78 is a batteryand at 79 is an indicator which is provided with twodistinct counting mechanisms 80, 81 provided respectively with legendsIn and Out, the counting mechanism 80 being used for registering allpassengers who go up the steps and the counting mechanism 81 registeringall passengers who go down the steps. The counting mechanisms being ofthe usual construction employed where counters are to be operatedelectrically, need not be described in detail.

Connected with the battery 78 is a wir 82 and connected with the latteris a wire '83 which leads to a binding post 84 upon ing post 85' fromwhich a wire 86 leads to the binding post 74 of the switch 22. Thecounting mechanism 81 is provided with binding posts 87, 88. A wire 89is connected with the binding post 87 and with the wires 82, 83. A wire90 is connected with the binding 0st 88 of the counting mechanism 81,and a iso with the binding post 77 of the switch 21. A wire 91 isconnected with the battery 78 and with wires 92, 93. The wire 93, leadsto the binding 0st 30 of the switch 19 andthe wire 92 lea s to theswitch 20. This switch being substantially like the switch 19 will notbe described. The wire 92 leads to a binding post 30 of the switch 20,this binding post being like the binding post 30 of the switch 19 exceptthat it is located upon the opposite side of the switch. The switch 20is provided with a collar 23, a lug 24, a center pin 25, a contact arm26", a stationary contact button 29 and a binding post 32, these partscorresponding substantially to the collar 23, lug 24, center pin 25,contact arm 26, contact button 29, and binding post 32 of the switch 19.The difference is that in the switch 20 the binding posts 30, 32 arelocated upon the opposite side of the casing from the binding posts 30,32 in the switch 19, and the contact buttons'29 31* are positionedaccordingly. When the lug 2 4 of the switch 20 is rocked to its extremeposition to the rightthat is, in a clockwise direction according to Fig.1-the contact arm 26 connects the binding post 32 with the binding post30, and when the lug 24 is rocked in a contraclockwise directionelectrical communication is broken through the switch 20. With theswitch 19 the action is quite simi lar to that just described for theswitch 20. When the lug 24 is rocked to the left communication isestablished from the wire 93 to wire 94; whereas, when the lug 24 isrocked to the right electrical communication through the switch 19 isbroken.

The operation of our device is as follows: When the various parts are intheir normal position of inactivity, they appear as indicated in Fig. 1.All of the steps 13, 14, 15, 16 are now raised into their uppermostpositions. Each step is thus wide enough to accommodate a singlepassenger at a time, and it is presumed that not more than one passengeris upon the steps at a single moment. If the passengers crowd eachother, and especially if two passengers get upon the-same step at thesame time, the registration of the number of passengers will be onlyapproximate. If, however, as is usually the case, passengers going up ordown the steps act one at a time, the device will register all ofthosegoing up and will separately register all of those coming down. Supposethat the device is used in connection with a railway car. In this casethe indicator 79 will register the number of persons who leave the carand walk down the steps, and will also register the exact number ofpersons who 0 up the steps and enter the car. We will rst follow thecycle of operations taking place when a passenger goes up the steps toenter the car. In ascending he first places his weight upon the step 13.This depresses the step in question and through agency of the rod 13causes the bell crank 40 to rock slightly in-a clockwise directionaccording to Fig. 1. The shifting rod 42 is thus moved slightly to theleft, a result easily accomplished because the shifting rod rests uponthe antifriction rollers 43, 44, 45, 46. This movement of the shiftingrod turns the lug 24 slightly in a contraclockwise direction and thisshifts the position of the contact arm 26 in the same direction, and theswitch 20 is thus left open. The passenger next places his weight uponthe step 14, depressing the latter.

This causes the bell crank 58 to rock slightly in a clockwise directionand force the pawl 59 slightly to the left, thereby turning'the ratchetwheel 64 one step in a contraclockwise direction. Referring now to Fig.2, it will be seen that in doing this the contact arm 67 is shifted onestep in a contraclockwise direction, the result being that communicationis momentarily established between one of the contact members 72 and oneof the contact members 72, communication being instantly broken. That isto say, the contact arm 67 makes a so-called wiping contact between twocontact members, thereby momentarily establishing metallic communicationthrough the switch 21 as a whole. Depression of the step 14 also causesthe bell crank 56 to rock in a clockwise di- 79 and the battery 78. Thisis because the depression of the step 13 merely opens the switch 20 anddepression of the step- 14 merely closes the switch 21 for a moment andleaves the switch 19 closed. No com- 15, thereby depressing it andcausing the rod 49 to descend. This rocks the bell crank 61 slightly ina clockwise direction and the bell crank 48 in a contraclockwisedirection. The result is that the ratchet wheel 64 of the switch 22 isturned one step in a contraclockwise direction, thereby causing themechanism of the switch 22 (see Fig. 2) to momentarily establish andimmediately break metallic communication between the wires 86 and 94.The rocking movement of the bell crank 48 in a contraclockwise directioncauses the lug 24 to move to the right, thereby closing the switch 20and leaving it closed. The following circuit isnow completed: battery78, wire 91, wire 93, binding post 30, switch arm 26 (now occupying itsextreme position in a contraclockwise direction), bindingpost 32, wire94, switch 22 (closed momentarily only while step 15 &

mechanism to repeat the cycle of operations above described, the resultbeing that each passenger is registered.

Suppose, now, that a passenger leaves, the car and walks down the steps.In doing this he places his weight upon the step 16. This causes'thebell crank 51 to rock in a contraclockwise direction and move theshifting rod 53 to the right. This is usually an idle movement, as thelug 24 is generally at the right. The passenger next places his weightupon the step 15. This rocks the bell crank 61 in a clockwise directionand the bell crank 48 in a contraclockwise direction, the net resultbeing that the switch 22 is momentarily closed and then left open andthe switch 20 is left closed. No circuit can yet be traced. The weightof the passenger now being shifted to the step 14, the rod 57 isdepressed and the bell cranks 58, 56 are each rocked in a clockwisedirection. The result of this movement is that the switch 21 ismomentarily closed and then left open, the switch 19 being closed and soremaining. The following circuit is now completed: battery 78, wire 91,wire 92, binding post 30*, contact arm 26 (switch 20 now closed),binding post 32, wire 90 binding post 76 (switch 21 closed for a momentonly), binding post 77, wire 90, binding post 88, countin mechanism 81,binding post 87, wires 89, 82, back to battery 78. This actuates theindicator 79 so as to register the passenger going out. The weight ofthe passenger being now placed upon the step 13, the bellcrank 40 isrocked in a clockwise direction, the shifting rod is moved slightly tothe left, and the lug 24 is pushed to its limit to the left, therebyopening the switch 20. If, now, another passenger goes to ascend thesteps and in doing this places his weight upon the ste 13, he moves theshifting rod 42 to the le t, but the movement is an idle one because thelug 24 is already in its extreme position to the left and the switch 20is already opened. This is immaterial,h0wever, since even if the lug 24were to the right the first thing accomplished by a passenger placinghis weight upon the step 13 would be to cause the shifting rod 42 tomove thelug 46 to the left.

From the foregoing description it will be noted that if a passenger inleaving the car merely takes two steps downward, the indicatingmechanism is not affected. If,

however, he takes three steps downward, the counting mechanism registershis departure.

If, therefore, after merely stepping downward two steps he goes backinto the car, the counting mechanism is not affected; whereas, if hetakes three steps downward and then returns to the car, he is firstregistered as departing from the car, and second as returning thereto.Similarly. a passenger leaving the ground and starting up the steps doesnot affect the counting mechanism unless he reaches the third step, inwhich event he is registered as entering the car. If, now, he retraceshis steps he is again registered as leaving the car.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

1. A car step register, comprising a plurality of depressible steps, anelectric switch connected with one of said steps and adapted to beclosed by the depression thereof, another electric switch connected withanother of said steps and adapted to be closed by depression of thelatter, an electric indicator, and a circuit including said indicatorand both of said switches, said circuit being completed by the closureof both of said switches.

2. A car step register, comprising a plurality of depressible steps, anelectric switch connected with one of said steps and adaptother of saidsteps and provided with a wiping contact to be opened and closed eachtime said last-menti0ned step is depressed, an electrically operatedindicator, an electric circuit connected with said indicator andincluding both of said switches, and means controllable by depressionofa third step for opening said first-mentioned switch.

3. A car step register, comprising a depressible step, an electricswitch to be closed by depression thereof, a second depressible step, anelectric switch to be both closed and opened by movements of the latter,a third depressible step, means controllable thereby for opening saidfirst-mentioned electric switch, an electric indicator, and a circuitconnected with said indicator and with both of said switches, andcontrollable by the conjoint action of said switches for actuating saidindicator.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' 4 RELLA WILLIAM BALCH.

LELAND BELLA BALGH. Witnesses:

J. F. SCHUSTER, WM. A. CAMPMAN.

